British Jewish Community Declares Green Party Racist Over Anti-Zionism Stance
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has labeled the Green Party of England and Wales as racist after it adopted a platform equating Zionism with racism. The decision, passed by an overwhelming majority of the Board's representatives, means the party will be treated as antisemitic. This follows a Green Party conference resolution calling for a single democratic state in historic Palestine. The Board stated that the policy delegitimizes a core aspect of Jewish identity and urged the party to reverse its stance.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- British Jewish community's Board of Deputies declared the Green Party racist.
- The Green Party adopted a platform equating Zionism with racism.
- The Board of Deputies will now treat the Green Party as antisemitic.
- The Green Party's resolution also called for a single democratic state in historic Palestine.
- The Board stated the policy delegitimizes a core aspect of Jewish identity.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has declared the Green Party of England and Wales a racist party following its adoption of an antisemitic platform. The decision, made Sunday, means the Board will treat the Green Party like any other antisemitic organization. The resolution was passed overwhelmingly in a plenary session, with 118 votes in favor and one against, stemming from the Green Party's conference earlier this month where a policy was adopted equating Zionism with racism.
The Green Party conference, which saw a proposal passed by 56% of delegates, also called for the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian state across all of historic Palestine. Critics describe the Green Party, once a fringe political force, as having been taken over by Islamists. The Board of Deputies, the largest representative body of British Jews, stated that equating a central component of Jewish identity with racism deeply concerns the community. For many British Jews, the connection to Israel is tied to religious observance, family ties, language, culture, and the belief in the Jewish people's right to self-determination.
Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies, stated, "By adopting an antisemitic platform, the Green Party of England and Wales has become a racist party. We will treat it accordingly." He added, "No political party has the right to tell Jews that a central component of our identity, rooted in thousands of years of history, faith, and peoplehood, is racist." Rosenberg urged the Green Party leadership to take responsibility, reverse the policy, and confront the antisemitism it has legitimized, while acknowledging those within the party, including Jewish members, who opposed the resolution.
Ashleigh Hurst, who proposed the resolution, said, "I inherited 3,000 years of stories, language, memory, and daily customs that connect me to Zion, and I am proud that British Jews have unequivocally made clear that a party declaring this to be racist is itself a racist party." Max Royston, who supported the motion, commented, "Zionism is the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in our homeland. Denying this right to Jews alone is racism. Today our community has called the phenomenon by its name."
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